Claes Praet (d. ca. 1556)

Claes (de) Praet, an Anabaptist martyr, was executed at Ghent, Belgium, by burning at the stake, probably in the last half of 1556 or early months of 1557. Claes had been deeply impressed by witnessing the death of some steadfast Anabaptist martyrs. He had been baptized in 1552 at Antwerp. Shortly before his imprisonment he had visited the Mennonites in Emderland, both for trade and spiritual contacts. He was married and had children. Nothing further is known about his life. His imprisonment lasted about two months. Het Offer des Heeren and later martyr books contain a letter of Claes, written from his prison, in which he speaks at length of his trials. At the end of this letter Claes greets "the whole church, scattered in all countries." The hymn says that Claes willingly came to the stake, to which he was bound for burning. Concerning Claes the hymn was written: "De werlt op de Christen verstoort, vangen, dooden aen menich oort" (The world, annoyed by the Christians, seizes and kills them at many places), which is included in Het Offer des Heeren.

Braght, Thieleman J. van. The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs’ Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus Their Saviour… to the Year A.D. 1660. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1951: 554-660. Available online at: http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm.